Retort-vaporizer



2 Sheets-Sheet 1-. L J.PHELPS.

RETORT VAPORIZER. A

Patented 001;. 29, 1889.

INVENTOR ATTRNEXJ,"

.l ./1 W W N m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

LUCIUS J. PHELPS, OF PASSAIC, NEV JERSEY.

RETO RT-VAPORIZER.

vSPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 413,762, dated October 29, 1889.

Application filed April 1888. Serial No. 269,649. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, Lucius J. PHELPs, a citizen vot' the United States, residing at Passaic, county of Passaic7 and Stat-e of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retort-Vaporizers, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to that class of apparatus by which a volatile hydrocarbon is vaporized and mixed with atmospheric air to produce an illuminating-vapor, which is -popularly known as illuminating-gas.

The invention relates particularly, however,

,to an apparatus of that class in which the vaporization of the hydrocarbon is effected by heat as distinguish ed from the well-known cold'process, in which the vaporization. is etfected by passing atmospheric air through or in contact with the volatile hydrocarbon.

The invention consists in the combination,

` with the retort and its burner, of a peculiar Vafterward supplied with air to form illuminating-vapor, consists primarily of a retort composed of a small cylinder 4, one end of which communicates withthe supply-pipe K, through which the hydrocarbon is supplied to the retort, vwhile its other end communicates 'with a pipe G, through which the vaporv passes to the holder. The cylinder 4, forming the retort, is surrounded by a sealed cylindrical water-jacket 5, which is partially filled with water and communicates, through a pipe 6, with a small chamber S upon one side of a iiexible diaphragm g, which forms a valve for controlling the supply of vapor to the iiame which heats the retort, as will be hereinafter explained. rIhe Waterjacket 5 is in turn surrounded, or partially surrounded, by a jacket of wire-gauze 7, within which burns the iiame for heating the retort to vaporize the hydrocarbon. This iiame is fed from vapor issuing from perforations in a horizontal burner b, which extends beneath the gauze and in close proximity thereto, and from the perforations of which the vapor issues with sufficient force to pass through the interstices of the gauze to supply the flame upon the inside. The burner b is fed from the chamber S beneath t-he diaphragm g, which chamber communicates through a small pipe 8 with a pipe H, which in turn communicates with the pipe G. The diaphragm g is so arranged Vthat so long as the water in the jacket 5l and pipe 6 is not heated above the boiling-point the diaphragm will remain in such position as to leave the openings to the pipe 8 and burner l) unobstructed, and thus permit `the vapor to flow freely through the pipe 8 to the burner. As soon, however, as the water in the jacket becomes heated above the boiling-point, the increased pressure thus caused will depress the diaphragm g, and the chamber S is so formed lbeneath the diaphragm that when the diaphragm is thus depressed the opening of the pipe 8 will be closed by the diaphragm, thus shutting oit the supply of vapor to theburner andreducing or entirely extinguishing the i'lame within the gauze 7, which will allow the water in the jacket to cool, and thus reduce the pressure and restore the diaphragm to its original position. The purpose of this will be made clear when theoperation of the apparatus is described. The pipe 8 also communicates with a small pipe 9, which terminates just within the wire-gauze,'as shown in Fig. 6, and is provided with a small lateral opening l, t-hrough which vapor issues to maintain' a small permanent flame within the gauze, which operates'to relight the main iiame produced by the vapor delivered from the burner b whenever it has been extinguished by the downward movement of the diaphragm J. The pipe 9 is provided with a regulatingvalve 10, by which the size of this constant ilame can be regulated with great nicety.

The flow of hydrocarbon to the retort is regulated by a valve 18, which is controlled IOO by the gas-holder in such manner that when the holder becomes iilled to the proper height the valve will be closed and stop the gasmaking, and vice versa. The end of the retort 4, into which the hydrocarbon passes from the pipe K, and also aportion of said pipe next to the retort, are preferably filled with a loose fibrous material 19, through which the hydrocarbon must pass as it 'enters the retort. This serves to secure a more even and regular flow of the hydrocarbon into the retort, and also to arrest any foreign matter contained in the hydrocarbon. As the hydrocarbon becomes Vaporized in the retort it passes through a nozzle 20, located in the opposite end of the retort, and enters a small chamber 21, and passes thence to the pipe G.

The operation of the machine thus organized is as follows: In describing the operation itwill be assumed that the holder is full or nearly full of vapor, so as to be raised to near its highest point. lVhen the holder is in this position, it will operate to close the valve 18 and prevent the entrance of hydrocarbon to the retort. No hydrocarbon flowing into the retort, the flame Within the wiregauze will quickly heat the water contained within the jacket 5 above the boiling-point, and thereby create a pressure within the jacket, which will depress the diaphragm g, so as to close the pipe 8, and thus'shut oft' the supply of vapor to feed the flame which heats the retort. This will in turn allow the water to cool, so as to permit the diaphragm to rise and allow the vapor to again pass to the burnerb and emerge through its perforations and be light-ed by the permanent iiame at the end of the pipe 9. This will at once raise the temperature of the water in the jacket and again shut oit the supply of vapor, and so this operation will be repeated as long as the valve 18 remains closed. The parts will, however, be so adjusted, which can readily be done, that the amount of vapor consumed in this lighting and extinguishing of the main iiame will be very small. As soon as the vapor contained in the holder commences to be withdrawn, as will be the case when anyone or more burners connected with its dischargepipe are lighted, the holder will fall, thereby opening the valve 18. The hydrocarbon will then pass from the pipe K into the retort, and thus lower the temperature of t-he retort and the water in the jacket 5, so as'to reduce the pressure in the jacket and allow the dia'- phragm g to rise and permit the vapor to iiow to the burner b and be at once ignited by the permanent flame at the end of the pipe 9, and

Athus maintain the heat of the water in the jacket and the retort, so as to vaporize the hydrocarbon entering the retort.

What I claim is- In a retort-vaporizer, the combination, with the retort, of the sealed water-j acket surrounding the retort, a burner b, for heating the water in the jacket, and a flexible diaphragm, one side of which forms a valve adapted for con trolling the supply of vapor to the burner, and the opposite side of which is subjected to the pressure in the water-jacket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

' LUCIUS J. PIIELPS.

lVitnesses:

T. II. PALMER, G. M. Boasr 

